Let Me Spell It Out For You
by 554Laura
Summary: A fluffy, and hopefully fun, story written for the Bonesology Winter Challenge. Set after Season 12. Booth and Brennan try to solve a strange murder case around Valentine's Day. Some innuendo, teasing, and suggestive language, but nothing vulgar. I don't own Bones or the characters.
1. V is for Valentine

_**A/N: Welcome to my entry for the Bonesology Winter challenge. I've chosen to write a story using a list of words from each letter in the word Valentine. **_

_**This story is supposed to be fluffy fun, so it may seem that Booth and Brennan are acting slightly out of character at the crime scene. I hope the readers will allow me a bit of artistic license.**_

_**This story is set after season 12.**_

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"Come on, Bones…," Booth whined, tapping his foot in irritation as he watched his wife do her initial examination of a body that had recently been discovered at a home in the heart of the District of Columbia. He checked his watch with a heavy sigh. "I'm not even sure why we're here. I mean, this body has a lot of flesh, right? Not exactly your cup of tea, you know? And we're supposed to be getting ready for our Valentine's vacation weekend, right? I think this case can wait until we get back on Monday…so why not just do a cursory exam and then we can let the FBI techs take it from there. Maybe they can even shove it off on the Metro guys if we're lucky. Anyway, we need to get going. It's after three, and I still need to pack, okay? Like I said last night, I'd like to leave by five PM. Besides, I want to try that new Vietnamese restaurant before we head to Virginia..."

"Hmm…" Brennan was in full concentration mode as she studied the deceased, a man who appeared to be in his fifties. Finally she glanced at her agitated husband. "I know the circumstances are unusual, Booth, but I'm filling in for Cam today so she can help Michelle move into her new apartment. I won't be long...I just need to record my initial impressions." She took her phone out of her pocket and accessed an app. "You might find this interesting, Booth. It's called a 'virtual secretary'. I can speak to my phone and my words go directly to my dictation files…and then I can share them with Cam as well so she has them when she conducts the autopsy."

"Yeah, great." He made a valiant, if unsuccessful, effort to be impressed with her new bit of technology. "It records everything you say. Wonderful. So does that mean we can leave soon? This doesn't seem to be an extraordinary case, Bones. I'm pretty sure Agent Volker can supervise the scene without us, and we can check in with him on Tuesday..."

"I'm not sure how the app will make my examination faster…" She stood with her hands on her hips as she surveyed the patio where the body had been found. "Various items appear to be out of place...that stool has been knocked over…a glass tumbler was shattered...based on my initial visual inspection, there was a struggle of some sort."

"A struggle. Okay." He dutifully took out his note cards and recorded the information. "Look, I get it...you need to be precise...no stone left unturned, right? That's why you're such a valued team member at the Jeffersonian…Cam was probably thrilled when you said you'd cover for her. After all, you're so versatile...looking at dried out bones one day, and icky messes the next." Booth nodded, moving to stand next to Brennan so he could get a better look at the crime scene. "Everyone knows you're the best…a veritable paean of excellence…"

"Of course, I'm the best. No one would ever doubt the veracity of that statement." She rolled her eyes at him in mock exasperation. "However, with your overly effusive praise, it seems as if you're playing on my vanity...probably because you desire something from me, correct? Something of a sexual nature?"

Booth smiled hopefully. "Maybe. Is it working?"

"No." She shook her head decisively. "I must be thorough in my investigation...you know that, Booth…especially since I'm slightly less unfamiliar with working with a body in this rather 'complete' state." She muttered some vague reference to a venerated anatomy textbook before continuing. "Not much blood except the large amount on his head…"

Even though he knew it was verboten at a crime scene, Booth decided to press his point. Sidling up closer to Brennan, he discreetly whispered in her ear. "Don't forget...we've got a nice villa waiting for us in Cape Charles...the bedroom is secluded, with a veranda that overlooks the ocean. It'll be chilly, so we can snuggle up together under one of those soft velour blankets as we sit by the fireplace...you know, so we can keep each other warm…if you get my drift...you can wear that vanilla musk perfume I like so much...it'll be very romantic..."

She pretended to ignore him as she hunkered down next to the body, continuing her dictation with a flirty smirk. "The deceased, a middle aged man, was found by his neighbor, who had heard a sharp bang and so came to investigate. The deceased is prone, holding the neck of a broken violin in his left hand. There is no bow evident. There are no marks on the body other than those consistent with a blow to the head. There is a large terracotta pot that apparently once held African violets lying in pieces around the deceased. Question: did the pot hit the man on the head, thus causing his death? Ask Hodgins to swab for particulates. Question: how was the pot dislodged? Check the niche for evidence. Question: was this man the victim of a crime or was this an accident? Further analysis is necessary." She turned to the technician behind her. "Make sure you scoop up all the soil and the vermiculite so Dr. Hodgins can examine it in the lab. Also, check that niche for trace evidence...the pot was probably sitting up there…"

Straightening up, Brennan brushed some dirt from her jumpsuit. "Anyway, I'm not certain why you're so concerned about our weekend plans, Booth. After all, Valentine's Day isn't until next weekend…"

"Which is why we could get the villa this weekend. C'mon, Bones...we discussed this weeks ago. We need some alone time to reconnect, right? We need to do something for ourselves every now and then...something besides varnishing shelves and cleaning out closets, I mean."

"...but in the past we've both agreed that Valentine's Day isn't a real holiday." She put her phone back in her pocket and gave the FBI tech some more instructions about which photographs she wanted taken before continuing. "Are you saying that your affectionate impulses should be confined to one day a year? I'd be vastly disappointed if that was the case, Booth."

"What? NO! Of course not..." Vexed by the sudden turn of their conversation, he quickly backtracked. "Look, you know I love you, Bones. I show you that every day...I tell you that every chance I get…"

"That's true...you do verbalize your feelings quite frequently...and you are very intentional in the way you demonstrate your affection…"

"Right?" Wearing an impish grin, Booth shrugged as he jammed his hands into his overcoat's pockets. "It's just that I think we need to get away from the rest of the world from time to time, that's all...away from the stress of our jobs and running a household..."

"So, in other words, you're not satisfied with merely having sex as often as you want while we're at home...you want to have sex in a more exotic locale." She nodded as she pulled off her gloves. "That makes sense...it's almost Valentine's Day...men want sex…"

Hearing the tech suppress a giggle, Booth narrowed his eyes at his wife. "Great. Why are we even talking about this now, Bones?"

"I apologize. I've forgotten about your rather Victorian views on discussing sex." She wore a sly grin, regarding him furtively as he tried to brush aside his embarrassment. "However, you're the one who brought it up, Booth. I'm merely responding to your suggestion."

Walking past him, she not so casually bumped against him, reminding him once again of the voluptuous curves hidden beneath that blue jumpsuit. Inhaling deeply, he scratched his chin as he followed her, trying to explain himself. "Look...here's the deal, okay? I want to go out of town this weekend with my wife, okay? I've arranged a babysitter for our kids, and I've found us a nice place to stay. We're gonna spend some quality one on one time together, in various ways, and come back late on Monday evening, refreshed and ready to tackle the world again, alright? It has nothing to do with Valentine's Day...that was just an excuse to go away for the weekend. There...satisfied?"

She turned to face him with a knowing smile, and now it was her turn to whisper into _his_ ear. "Well, if I'm not satisfied now, I certainly will be when we get back from our weekend, won't I?" Smiling happily, she turned and walked away.

"You little vixen…," Booth mumbled, shaking his head at her audacity, and trying not to break his own rule about not laughing at a crime scene. "You think you can tease me like that and get away with it? Well, two can play that game..."

Shedding his overcoat, he walked back over to the deceased and stood with his hands on his hips, knowing it would open his jacket in such a way that she might get a view of his shoulder holster, which she usually found quite fascinating. He flexed his muscles a bit as he pointed to the battered violin in the dead man's hand. "So what...he was practicing out here? Where's the bow?"

Brennan paused, stopping to admire her husband's outstanding physique. He was very well structured, and she was certainly looking forward to spending some quality time with him over the weekend, but not without pretending to put up a fight. "I'm not sure. The neighbor didn't report hearing any music...just a loud bang…"

"A loud bang, huh?" Raising an eyebrow suggestively, Booth cast an appreciative glance at his wife. "That sounds interesting...I wonder if there was a lot of moaning to go with that bang…"

Brennan pinched her lips together to keep from laughing out loud. "Not that I'm aware of…" She glanced at the technician, who was pretending not to know what they were talking about. "I'm sure the bow must be around here somewhere…"

"I see. Well, maybe it's in the house. I'll have the techs look for it." Pointing to the splintered wood, he shrugged. "You know, the strings on the violin look pretty worn...he must've been using some stiff strokes on that thing…long, hard, slow, deliberate strokes...he could probably make that baby sing. I bet it felt real good, too, when it was vibrating under his touch...almost like he was making love to it... "

Brennan nodded in agreement. "Yes, I see what you mean. I'm sure that would be a very intense experience..." Exhaling sharply, she waved to another nearby technician. "Agent Booth and I need to leave immediately, so Agent Volker will temporarily be in charge." Turning to the young agent, she gestured at the body. "Make sure they take lots of pictures and collect copious amounts of evidence." She picked up her bag and smiled at her husband. "Are you ready, Booth?"

Ready to claim victory in the battle of the sexes, Booth sauntered over to her. "I'm always ready…"

"Very funny."

They climbed into the SUV and she reached over to put her hand on his thigh. "I'm ready, too. Why don't we crawl into the back seat?"

"Bones!," Booth hissed, shocked at her suggestion. "We can't make love here...not in the driveway of a crime scene…"

She laughed out loud as she winked at him. "In that case, you'd better use the siren on the way home…I'm not sure how much longer I can wait..."

"Oh yeah…well then, let's vamoose!" He quickly put the truck in reverse and turned on the flashing lights and siren. "Virginia, here we come…"

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_**The words I used were valiant, violet, victory, vacation, violin, and victim.**_

_**If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it.**_


	2. A is for Affection

_**A/N: time for a weekend get away...**_

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"Wow...that was...amazing, Bones." Booth couldn't help but grin as he lay naked in the middle of the disheveled king sized bed, trying to slow his heart rate as he stared at the ceiling. "I mean…" Sighing slowly, he turned to his wife. "...wow. Just...wow..."

Basking in the winter sunlight that was pouring through the bedroom windows of their vacation villa, she laughed as she stretched out next to him, amused at how easy it was to please her amorous husband. "Well…," she purred as she lightly ran her fingertips over his well defined abdominal muscles. "...I enjoyed it, too. I find I'm quite relaxed…and very satisfied."

"Yeah, well, I imagine so. Me, too." He rolled over to face her, admiring her lush curves as he caressed her gently. "You know, I've been meaning to ask you something…"

"Hmm?" Closing her eyes, she nestled against his body. "What is it?"

"How did you learn to do...that...you know…" He paused, trying to figure out how to describe what had just happened. "...that thing you do...with your...um…" He gestured vaguely at her, not sure how to phrase his question. "...you know…with your hips and all..."

"Oh...that." She giggled as he stroked her hair. "It's quite simple, really. As you know I'm well versed in both anatomy and kinesiology, and so I know how to use different parts of my body effectively when I have sex. What you're referring to is just a matter of controlling my pelvic floor muscles...flexing and contracting them in a certain sequence, that's all."

"That's all? Oh, no...it was so much more than that...a helluva lot more." He grinned at her, his heart practically bursting with affection for his wife. "It's a matter of timing, too. I mean, when you move like that when we're making love...and then you whisper that you love me at just the right time...well, it does something to me that I can't describe…it's just awesome…" Closing his eyes, he let out a low whistle. "...incredible…absolutely...breathtaking...like fireworks...amazing..."

She smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "You've also managed to acquit yourself very well in the lovemaking department, Booth. I find your sexual techniques to be quite adequate."

"Adequate?" Shocked, his eyes flew open as he turned to his wife. "What the hell does that mean? You're telling me that even though we've made love constantly this weekend...almost since the moment we arrived in Virginia, except for an hour or two when we ordered in room service so we could have a meal...and after all that, I'm just adequate? Oh, no. I mean, if nothing else, I should at least be admirable...astonishing...astounding..."

"Oh...I'm sorry, Booth.," she said sincerely. She stroked his strong shoulders, hoping to appease him. "I didn't mean to denigrate your skills as a lover. When I said you were adequate, I meant that as a compliment. After all, you always know what I want...you're considerate of my needs...your stamina is admirable...your technique is spectacular, and, of course, your physicality is exceptional. We are quite compatible, sexually speaking." She laughed softly as she put her arm around his waist. "Perhaps all of the sex we've enjoyed over the last few days has addled my brain, but yes...I think you are quite adequate…"

"Again...I think the word you're looking for is something like 'exceptional' or 'superb'... maybe even awe inspiring... He offered a sly grin as his caresses became more intentional. "Anyway, apology accepted...under one condition…" Laughing, he pulled her on top of him. "...you have to show me how you use those muscles again…"

"I suppose a demonstration could be arranged…" She grinned as he quirked an eyebrow at her. "If you're not too tired…"

It's not like I'm ancient, Bones. I can still keep up with you…" Kissing her passionately, Booth was ready to prove to his wife just how far beyond adequate he was when her phone rang, startling them both. "Seriously?" He groaned as he looked towards the nightstand. "Turn that damn thing off…"

Brennan was concerned as she wiggled from her husband's grasp. "I thought it was off already...I thought it was only programmed to ring if Mrs. Applegate called. I hope the children are okay."

Anxiously grabbing her phone, she sat on the edge of the bed. "Brennan…"

"Hey, Dr. B...this is Hodgins…"

"Hodgins?! Why are you calling me? Is everything alright? Is Angela okay?"

"Hey, relax, okay? Yeah...everything's fine…"

Unhappy that he'd interrupted her intimate encounter with Booth, Brennan scolded her colleague angrily. "Then why are you calling? I'm not in the DC area...I'm enjoying a weekend away from home with my husband…"

"Oh…my apologies. I assumed your absence from work today was because you were in court. It never occurred to me that you'd taken a personal day." Hearing her groan, he chuckled softly as he continued. "Besides, it's three o'clock in the afternoon. Shouldn't you be heading home by now?"

"Dr. Hodgins, I would appreciate it if you would mind your own business. My vacation schedule is none of your concern." Brennan had to suppress a giggle as Booth moved to sit behind her. Soon his talented fingers were exploring every inch of her soft skin. Inhaling sharply, Brennan hoped she still sounded professional as she talked to the entomologist. "So...what was so important that you had to disturb me on my personal day?"

"Oh, yeah...that. Well, you remember that soil you had the techs collect from that crime scene last week? The case where the guy got conked on the head? It was a really interesting mixture of stuff...African violet potting mix...vermiculite...alabaster gravel...various mineral additives...I mean, the guy must've really doted on his plants…"

"Tell him you're hanging up, Bones…," Booth whispered, as he grabbed for her phone. "We've got things to do…time's a-wasting..."

"I'm busy, Hodgins. Get to the point…" Brennan gently pushed Booth's hand away from her breast as she tried to continue her conversation. "Why are you concerned about the soil? What does that have to do with the murder?"

"Because of what else I found...there were carbon fibers in the mix..."

"I don't understand." Brennan's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why is that important? Couldn't they be from a window screen? Perhaps the man placed the screen in the pot to promote drainage…"

"Bones!," Booth whined softly. "C'mon...get off the phone! I want to prove how exceptional I can be…and I need some more of your attention..."

"Nope." Hodgins nodded to himself in satisfaction as he read through his report again. "These are a very specific type of fiber. They're used to wrap aluminum arrows to strengthen them…to keep them from shattering on impact..."

"Arrows?" Brennan giggled as Booth tried once again to wrestle her phone away from her. Pretending to glare at him, she put her finger to her lips as she continued. "So you think the pot was knocked off the shelf by an arrow and so that's why it struck the victim? I suppose that could happen, but where's the arrow's point? Even if the shaft shattered, the point should still be around somewhere…and anyway, it's hard to believe that an aluminum shaft would fragment so completely that no large pieces would be found at the scene."

"Not sure exactly what happened, really. I'm still working on it. Hey, maybe somebody was trying to play Cupid to get ready for Valentine's Day. He aimed for the victim with one of his darts and missed, hitting that big pot instead, and then entered that courtyard later to pick up the pieces of the arrow from the crime scene before you got there.," Hodgins answered jovially. "We'll need the techs to go back to the scene to look for more evidence. In the meantime, I'll get Angela to work up a model for the angle of trajectory so maybe we can see where the arrow came from...that should narrow down the suspect pool."

"While I find your Cupid scenario to be ridiculous, asking the techs to go back to the crime scene is an excellent idea." Finally giving in to Booth's insistent foreplay, Brennan chuckled softly. "Okay...I have to go…Booth needs me...bye..." She ended the call and smiled at her husband. "Where were we?"

"Gimme that thing…" Booth took her phone and tucked it away in the bottom drawer of the nightstand. "We're adopting a new rule, okay?" He grinned as he pulled Brennan close. "No phones on romantic weekend getaways."

"But what if the children need something?"

"Then whoever they're staying with can call the front desk and ask for us." He bent down to nuzzle her neck. "Alright...prepare to be awestruck with my exceptional love making…"

She glanced at the clock. "It's three o'clock in the afternoon, Booth...shouldn't we be getting ready to head for home?"

"Nah...we've got plenty of time…" He brushed her hair away from her face. "Who knows when we'll get another chance like this? I want to make every second count."

She gave him a sultry smile. "Then what are you waiting for, Booth? It's time to prove to me that what you've been saying about your lovemaking ability is true. I'm now properly prepared to be amazed..."

"Okay…" He waggled an eyebrow at her as he took her into his arms. "Mr. Awesome is at your service, ready to give you an early Valentine's Day gift..."

Laughing, Brennan kissed him passionately. "I love you, Booth…

"I love you, too, Bones…" He sighed audibly as he gazed into her eyes. "...and I always will…" He grinned as he bent down to kiss her. "You're almost as awesome as I am…"

"Almost?" She squealed with laughter as she straddled him. "We'll just see about that…"

"Knock yourself out, Bones." Wearing a satisfied smirk, Booth chuckled as his wife attempted to prove her point. "Happy Valentine's Day to me…"

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_**The words I used in this chapter (in some form) are absence, acquit, admire, adopt, affection, apologize, and appreciate.**_

_**Thanks for reading. More soon. Laura.**_


	3. L is for Love

_**A/N: sorry for the delay but real life reared it's ugly head and I had to catch up on work. Hopefully now we'll be back on track. Thanks for the kind comments.**_

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Early on Tuesday morning, Brennan quickly made her way across the Jeffersonian Museum to her office in the newly renovated lab. As much as she'd enjoyed the long weekend she'd spent making love with Booth, it always felt good to get back into her work routine after being away for a few days. She knew she was fortunate to have a career she loved so much, and it saddened her to think that many people didn't have that luxury...that they viewed their work as drudgery. She hoped she never felt that way about forensic anthropology...or her writing, for that matter. While work wasn't her whole life, it was an important part of what made her the woman she was.

Flipping on the lights as she entered her office, her brow furrowed in thought as she considered the strange phone call she'd received from Hodgins the day before. _Why would someone shoot a large aluminum arrow in a residential area? That would be so dangerous. Was it deliberate? And if it was deliberate, why not just shoot the victim with it instead of knocking the pot out of its niche? Was the killer hoping to make it look like an accident had occurred?_

Her musings were soon interrupted as her best friend appeared in the doorway. "So how was your weekend? Lots of sex and lusty behavior, right?" Angela giggled as she entered the office. "I assume you had a good time in Virginia…"

Sporting a sly smile, Brennan nodded in agreement as she shuffled some papers. "The villa was lovely...quite luxurious, with every amenity possible...and you're right. Booth and I had a wonderful time engaging in copious amounts of sexual activity. I think Booth's idea to celebrate Valentine's Day the weekend before it occurs was excellent, and celebrate we did...in several interesting and imaginative ways. He is a very creative lover." Arching an eyebrow, Brennan chuckled as she checked her mail. "I find that I'm quite relaxed…"

"Yeah, I can tell. You look positively languid..." Plopping down on the couch, Angela smoothed her linen blouse. "So I want to hear all the luscious details eventually, but first I have a bit of work to go over with you, okay? I actually came by to tell you that I've figured out the trajectory angle for the arrow that shattered the flower pot, which then fell on the victim in your latest case." She handed Brennan a tablet. "It's kind of a weird thing, though. It looks like it must've come downward at a really steep angle, as if it was shot almost straight down from the roof of a nearby multistory building or something like that…" She gestured for Brennan to go to another page. "In looking at the nearby buildings, there are a couple of old brownstones in the area that might've been the point from which the arrow was shot."

"Hmm...I'll have Booth arrange for some agents to canvass the area and interview the owners." Brennan smiled as she handed the tablet back to Angela. "So what are you and Hodgins doing for Valentine's Day?"

After considering the question for a minute or two, the artist shrugged slightly. "I'm not sure yet. I mean, I guess we could go out somewhere, but in some ways it sounds better to just stay home, turn off our phones, and lock all the doors so nobody bothers us, you know? Just me and my family in our own little world…"

Brennan nodded as she accessed her computer. "That does sound enjoyable." Smiling, she turned to face her friend. "I sometimes wish that I could avoid all the stress of my job and simply spend my time taking Christine and Hank to the library or enjoying some sort of trivial endeavor at home, instead of solving murder cases with my skills forensic anthropology...but I know that's neither logical nor practical. For my own peace of mind, I need to have meaningful work to do in order to be happy, and being employed here at the lab gives me that opportunity."

"Yeah, I know you need that, Sweetie, but be honest...wasn't it fun, just being with your husband without a care in the world? Just focusing on each other instead of taking on the problems of everyone else? Making love for hours on end?" Angela smiled as she sat back on the couch. "I think that would be so nice…you were so lucky, being able to spend that time with him...and it sounds like Booth got lucky, too..."

Brennan giggled softly. "I'll admit...we had a very nice time, Angela, and I hope Booth and I can spend more leisurely weekends together as we just did, and maybe take our children on vacations as well at some later date, but…"

"Hey, Bones…what's up?" Wearing a cocky smile, Booth sauntered into the office to see his wife, stopping short as he realized she had company. "Oh, hello, Angela…"

"Hey, Studly." Smirking slightly, she stood up to leave. "Brennan was just telling me how much fun you had on your little trip..."

"What?" Blushing furiously as Angela eyed him from head to toe, Booth nervously bit his lip. "I mean, you know...the food was great and our villa had a nice view of the water. That's what you meant, right?"

"Sure, if you say so." Angela waved at Brennan. "I'll call you later for the details…"

As he watched her leave, Booth nervously drummed his fingers on Brennan's desk. "Just how much did you tell her? You left out the part about the lettuce, right?"

"I told her enough to maintain my position as an alpha female with a desirable mate...nothing more..." Her sultry chuckle and lovely smile gave him goosebumps. "However, I omitted some of the more lascivious details...you know, like all of your favorite things to do in the shower…how much you like to stand naked and let the warm water run down your bare skin...and how much you like it when I use the soap to apply a lather all over your body and then slowly wash it away with the sprayer...how you like to linger as I massage all of your nice, firm muscles...and then after we got out of the shower, we applied that lavender scented lotion to each other, remember? Washing up can be quite...stimulating...right?"

"Bones!" Booth couldn't help but grin as he remembered what she was talking about. "Not now, okay?" He gestured at his crotch. "I have to go back to work in a few minutes, and I can't show up at the office looking like a horny teenager."

She shrugged, licking her lips seductively as she turned to her computer. "I suppose that would be so hard to explain."

"Um...yeah." Her emphasis on the word _hard_ made him squirm a bit. Pulling at his collar, he tried to change the subject. "Anyway...I came by to see if Hodgins had any more information about those carbon fibers he found in that soil…"

Somewhat disappointed at the change of subject, she pouted slightly. "I'll call him." Dialing her colleague's extension, she put him on the speaker. "Dr. Hodgins...it's me, Dr. Brennan. Agent Booth is here in my office, and I'd like you to explain the findings you shared with me yesterday."

Booth could almost hear Hodgins roll his eyes at her overdone formality. "Yeah, sure. Hey, Booth…"

"Hey…"

"So the fibers are used to make target arrows for archery. They're woven around an aluminum shaft so the arrow can still flex, but making it unlikely that it would warp or shatter when it hits a target at a high rate of speed. The force involved in an arrow strike can be quite high...several Newtons..."

"I don't get it." Wanting to avoid Hodgins' physics lesson, Booth scratched his chin. "If they're supposed to keep the arrow intact, then what happened to it? The techs who went back to the crime scene didn't find anything that looked like an arrow as far as I can tell."

"I'm not sure. I need to look at Angela's simulation to find out." Hodgins chuckled softly. "Like I told Brennan, maybe Cupid was practicing for Valentine's Day, but he missed and ended up killing our victim. Gives a whole new meaning to 'love hurts', doesn't it?"

"Yeah…I guess." Booth sighed softly. "That's sure not very romantic, is it? I mean, think about that poor fella, just minding his own business, and BLAM! A bolt from the blue knocks a heavy object over on him and kills him. It's sad, really…"

Impatient with her husband's musings, Brennan interrupted the conversation. "Did the techs find the victim's bow, Booth? I don't mean a bow to shoot an arrow...I mean the bow for the victim's violin."

"Not that I can tell. I'll have to read Volker's notes again." Grimacing slightly, he asked Hodgins another question. "Did they find the arrow point?"

"Nah...it's like I was telling Dr. B yesterday. Somebody must've retrieved it somehow. I'm going to look over the crime scene photos again and see if I can find anything that looks like footprints. I'll be in touch, Booth…"

Hearing the phone click, signaling the end of the call, Booth shook his head. "It's mighty weird, Bones...mighty weird. Two totally unrelated things go missing from a crime scene? What's up with that?"

"It does seem to be an odd coincidence. Angela said the trajectory of the arrow was unusual...that it was like the arrow had been pointed almost straight downward from overhead."

"Hmm…" Nodding, he stood up to leave. "We'll go interview the neighbors again." He grinned as he winked at his wife. "I'll be back in time for lunch, though…unless you have plans..."

"No plans other than catching up on my correspondence. Perhaps I'll have something delivered….and we can eat here in my office. " She pursed her lips as she cast an appreciative eye his way. "Perhaps we can see if my new privacy blinds function adequately."

He gasped slightly as he imagined a very refreshing, and very intimate, lunch hour with his beautiful wife. "Sounds like a plan. I'll see you later…"

Brennan nodded as she turned back to her computer. "I'm looking forward to it."

Bending down to give her a kiss, he winked at her. "Me, too, Bones. Me, too. See you later."

Pleased with herself, she watched him leave before turning back to her computer. If she had her way, their lunch hour was going to be very interesting…

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_**The words I used were love, lab, light, library. lock, lucky, and lust.**_

_**Also, part of the challenge was that Hodgins would make a snarky comment about Cupid and Booth would say that it wasn't very romantic.**_

_**If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura**_


	4. E is for Embrace

_**A/N: here's another chapter of our fluffy story. I may be taking a few liberties with Booth and Brennan, but I don't think they are extremely out of character. The only way to find out is to read on...**_

* * *

It was a pleasant February afternoon, and Booth had a spring in his step as he walked across the Jeffersonian's parking garage, excited about his lunch plans for the day. Even though he'd left his wife only a few hours ago, he simply couldn't wait to see her again.

He knew some people might think it strange that he was still so enamored with his wife, especially as long as they'd been together, but he really didn't give a damn about other peoples' opinions. As far as he was concerned, she was simply enchanting...the epitome of intellect, grace and beauty. In his eyes, she was the most extraordinary woman in the world, and he knew he was incredibly lucky to have her in his life. The fact that she loved him, too, was truly the icing on the cake, especially since he since, as far as he could tell, he'd done nothing to earn it. It was a gift freely bestowed upon him by her generous heart.

Grinning to himself, he patted the envelope in his jacket pocket as he waited for the elevator, eager to tell her about its contents. Over the years, as they'd worked together more, she'd moved beyond merely wanting to examine the bones from her cases. Now she was interested not only in the skeletal remains, but all the peripheral evidence as well...things that could possibly indicate the motive for the crime. Having her work that aspect of the case with him, even if it was sometimes in an unofficial capacity, had often led him to look at things a different way, and that different way of looking at things had allowed them to solve several 'unsolvable' cold cases throughout their partnership. By his best estimate, over a hundred felons had been convicted because of their work. Their success had become the envy of the agents working at the Hoover. The two of them made a great team, and now their teamwork impacted every aspect of their lives, from their careers to the way they raised their children.

He chuckled softly as he walked toward her office. No matter how much it would annoy her to hear him say so, he'd long ago realized that she was truly his soul mate...the only one for him...the only woman who'd ever made him feel completely at ease with himself. He knew he was in an enviable position...he had a wife that was perfect for him. Their lives were completely entwined together, and he'd never be able to extricate himself from her embrace...not that he wanted to.

Almost overwhelmed once again by the depth of his love for her, he exhaled slowly as he stood in her office doorway, entranced with her beauty as he watched her for a minute or two. She was engrossed in her work, concentrating as she typed on her keyboard. Finally he coughed softly. "Hey, Bones…"

"Hello, Booth." Wearing a dazzling smile, she embraced him tenderly before ushering him inside. "Are you ready for lunch?"

"Sure. What are we having?" He gently caressed her cheek before giving her a kiss. "Something good, I hope…I'm hungry."

"I had some Thai delivered." She smiled as she walked over to her desk. "Everything you like...with extra mee krop. I imagine you can find something edible here..." She handed him a take out box and some chopsticks. "So have you found out anything else this morning that's pertinent to our current case?"

"Actually, yes, I have." Sitting across from her, he took the envelope from his jacket pocket and put it on the desk. "Our victim's name is Julius Keeling, and he was the concertmaster with the Virginia Philharmonic. I talked to Keeling's husband, Henderson Gladpoole, this morning, and of course, he's distraught about his spouse's death, but he's also upset because something quite valuable had been taken from their house...and the theft probably occurred immediately after Keeling died. Care to guess what it is that's missing?"

Brennan sat quietly for a few seconds as she thought over the facts of the case. "An expensive violin bow?"

"Exactly." Booth chuckled softly. "I knew you'd figure it out." He handed her his phone. "Here's a picture of it."

"How beautiful!," she exclaimed. "The simplicity of the design is so elegant...and the workmanship is exquisite. It appears to be quite old…"

"Yeah, it's been around for a while. That bow was made in 1840 by some famous French guy. I can't remember his name right now, but you can take my word for it. Anyway, Keeling was ecstatic when he found out a bow that had been made by that guy was available for sale online, because it's one of the few still in existence." He paused as he ate a bite of egg fried rice. "It's made of some sort of rare wood called red pernambucco and the mounts and other trim are made out of 14 karat gold and ebony. Get this...it's valued at 50,000 dollars…"

"Really? I see..." Brennan put the phone aside and took the letter from the envelope. Quickly skimming through it, she raised an eyebrow at her husband. "This is quite interesting..."

"What's also interesting is that the fancy bow was on loan from the seller, and, as it turns out, Keeling was basically trying it out to see if he wanted to purchase it. He had to make a huge deposit on it, in case something happened to the bow while he was using it. Basically, he paid full price for it with the idea that he could return it within sixty days for a refund if he didn't like it." Booth took another bite from his take out box and chewed thoughtfully. "I got quite an education about antique musical instruments from Mr. Gladpoole, who's a musicologist, by the way. See, I couldn't figure out why Keeling would be using that expensive bow on an ordinary violin, but I guess when he was trying out a new piece of music, he'd use a practice violin instead of his more valuable Amati. However, no matter which violin he was using, he always used the best bow he could afford to bring out the proper tone of the strings."

"Well, that makes sense, I suppose…" Brennan nodded as she sipped her tea. "Valuable antique musical instruments can be quite fragile, and it'd be risky to use them for mundane tasks, such as running scales, but a well made bow can elicit an excellent tone from even the most basic violin." Pausing, she poked at her food with her chopsticks. "Did Mr. Gladpoole know if his husband had any enemies? Was anyone envious over his new bow? Did someone else want to be concertmaster and so threaten Mr. Keeling?"

"He said no, no, and no." Booth shook his head as he took a sip of his water. "No enemies...everyone loved him...and he was highly thought of in the music community. I guess Keeling was a smooth operator, too...his husband said the guy could've sold ice cream to Eskimos…"

"That's a rather egregious statement…Eskimo is a pejorative term for the native peoples of Alaska..."

Booth rolled his eyes. "It's just an expression, Bones."

"Yes, I know, but still..." She frowned slightly as she looked over the letter again. "Has Mr. Gladpoole contacted the party selling the bow?"

"He has, and now he's waiting to see if his homeowner's insurance company will cover the loss." Booth sighed softly. "I'm not sure he's gonna get much satisfaction from his insurer unless they had some sort of rider for the more valuable instruments in the house…Mr. Gladpoole is a collector of those items, it seems..."

Brennan's brow furrowed as she considered the situation. "So both a valuable bow and parts of an aluminum arrow are missing. What's the connection between them?"

"I don't know." Booth shrugged as he bit into an egg roll. "Part of me thinks there must be something that ties the items together, but another part of me thinks it's all random stuff…just a coincidence that both things disappeared at the same time..."

"Random stuff? You normally don't believe in coincidence, Booth. Those objects must have something in common...something that links both of them to our victim's death." Brennan giggled softly as she got up from behind her desk and moved to sit on the couch. "You know, as a writer, I should be able to come up with something extremely clever to say about those circumstances in connection to Valentine's Day...something about Cupid's arrow striking the heart and music being food for love. However, I find that at the moment, I'm too distracted to do so." Batting her eyelashes at Booth, she gave him a flirty grin. "Are you finished with your lunch? I'm in the mood for dessert…"

He quickly set his take out carton aside and wiped his mouth. Pretending to misunderstand, he wore an innocent expression. "Dessert? How about some fortune cookies?" Seeing her shake her head as he joined her on the sofa, Booth cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well, then...what do you have in mind?"

"Watch…" Using a remote control, she lowered the blinds over the room's wall of windows, locked the door, and then dimmed the overhead lights. "I made sure to specify light blocking blinds and extra soundproofing when my office was rebuilt, and now that it's finally refurbished, we have complete privacy...and this sofa is hiding a queen sized bed...you know, for evenings when I work late..."

"Excellent!" Putting his arm around her, Booth pulled her close and began nuzzling her neck. "So...shall we have a continuation of our activities from last weekend?"

"I think that would be wonderful.," she said with a sultry purr. "If I'm not mistaken, you especially like this…" She nibbled on his earlobe, delighting in his passionate response. "I thought so…"

"Oh, yeah…I love it..." Kissing Brennan until she was breathless, Booth wore a cocky grin. "...and your dessert is coming right up."

"I want an extra large helping.," she giggled, unbuttoning her blouse. "Something sweet…and hot...and maybe a little salty..."

An ecstatic shudder ran down Booth's spine as he loosened his tie and cast off his shirt and slacks. "Whatever you want, Bones...whatever you want."

Oooooooooo

They lay together on the floor of her office, panting heavily and laughing as they recovered from their exertion. Smiling at her husband, Brennan lightly ran her fingers across his well muscled arm. "It seems that engaging in coitus during our lunch hour is quite refreshing…"

"I'll say…" Opening his eyes, Booth grinned at her. "In fact, I'm so refreshed, I may not want to go back to work…but I guess that would set a bad precedent, wouldn't it? I mean, as it is, I'm gonna be a few minutes late coming back from lunch…"

Brennan snuggled next to him. "But you're the Special Agent in Charge, Booth. Your hours are more flexible...and besides, you're consulting with me..."

"Yeah, but it's bad for morale if I flaunt the rules in front of everybody...and you have work to do, too, right?" He sighed happily as he stroked her hair. "So we can't do this sort of thing for our lunch everyday…"

Kissing him, Brennan chuckled as she got up and began to gather her clothes. "Maybe once a week? Perhaps we can call it Wonderful Wednesday or something alliterative like that…"

"Maybe." Booth paused as he heard his phone buzz. "Shit...where is that damn thing?"

"It's on my desk…"

Pulling on his slacks, he walked over and picked it up. "It's a text from Volker...agents bringing a person of interest in the Keeling case to the Hoover. I need to go...Volker's still lacking in the experience department when it comes to interrogations. Where's my shirt?"

Brennan smirked as she handed him the wrinkled garment. "I think you can hide the creases under your jacket…"

"Probably." After tying his shoes, he grabbed his coat and tie. "Hey, thanks for lunch, Bones...that was the best dessert I've ever had...even better than the diner's pie a la mode."

She rolled her eyes at her silly husband. "You're welcome. I enjoyed it as well. I'll see you this evening." Using the remote control, she raised the blinds and unlocked the door. "See? Everything's back to normal…"

"Right." He gave her a quick kiss and a saucy wink. "I'll see you later."

As she watched her husband trot away, Brennan smiled to herself. She was an extremely fortunate woman to have such a handsome husband.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her. Reading the letter again, she nodded. "Maybe that's it…," she muttered to herself as she accessed her computer. "I thought that name sounded familiar…ah, yes...here it is." She reached for her phone and dialed an extension. "Angela...I need to talk to you as soon as you can get to my office."

Hanging up, she read the information on her screen once again. Maybe, if her memory served her well, she'd be able to make a connection between the bow and arrow after all.

* * *

_**The words I used for this chapter are eager, earlobe, educate, envelope, and envy.**_

_**If you have time to review my little story, I'd appreciate it. Laura**_


	5. N is for Nurture

_**A/N: Thanks for all the kind comments. They are appreciated. **_

_**Time to work a little bit on our case...**_

* * *

Booth stood in the observation room next to an interrogation room, silently watching as Julius Keeling's neighbor and her lawyer sat silently at the table. He was curious, mostly...he wanted to see how she'd react to being in this stressful situation.

He glanced again at Agent Volker's notes. The rookie agent was anxious to please his supervisor, so he'd documented several things in addition to the mere facts of the case. Of most interest to Booth right now were the scribbled words in the corner of the page.

"Cold...unemotional…stoic...," Booth muttered to himself. "So she'd just found a man dead from some sort of unexplained traumatic event, and she didn't seem upset. Hmm…"

Of course, just because a person wasn't overtly emotional, it didn't mean she was a killer. Lots of people could maintain an icy exterior and still feel things strongly…he'd seen his wife do that very thing many, many times over the years. '_Some people can compartmentalize easily…,' _he thought as he studied the women. '_...and maybe she's worked in an ER or for the coroner..._

However, the fact that Volker had made mention of it in his notes meant it had bothered him...that it had struck him as odd...and as a seasoned investigator, Booth knew he needed to respect the younger agent's instinct.

"Okay…" He turned to the man standing next to him. "What do you think? Does she know more than she's letting on?"

"I think so. She puts on a tough exterior, but I bet we can get through to her if we lay it on the line." Volker pointed to a paragraph. "See what it says here?"

"Yeah...you're right." Booth paused as he heard his phone chime. Seeing that it was a message from his wife, he nodded toward the door. "Go ahead...I'll be there in a minute. I need to take this…"

"Alright."

As Volker left, Booth checked his message and gasped audibly. "Oh, Bones...I can't believe you sent me this picture…Jesus..."

After getting an eyeful of his beautiful wife, he quickly pocketed his phone, straightening his jacket as he tried to compose himself, but he couldn't help but grin like a fool as he thought back over his eventful day. They'd just shared a very 'relaxing' lunch hour together, and before he'd left her to go back to work, she'd promised that they'd engaged in more naked fun times later that evening. "I guess she couldn't wait…"

Preening a bit as he thought about just how much she wanted him, he smoothed his tie. _Yeah, I'm definitely the Man...she can't get enough of me. That's right…I am a god..._

He sighed happily as he thought about their lunch activities again. His wife's libido had always been strong, but after their recent weekend together, it seemed to have gone into overdrive. Not that he minded her surge of interest in having sex with him, but it was slightly unusual...

Then a thought jolted him like a bolt of lightning. "The last time she acted like this...she was pregnant with Hank! Oh my God…"

A million thoughts seemed to zip through his brain, and almost none of them had to do with his current case. Caught off guard by his sudden realization, he stood wide-eyed in the middle of the observation room, considering all the startling possibilities, when he realized that Volker was still waiting for him so they could begin the interrogation.

Swallowing hard, he quickly made his way next door and entered the room. "Good afternoon, Ms. Coakley...and Ms…?" He glanced at the attorney.

"Davis...Darla Davis…"

"Yes, well...sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Special Agent Booth, and I assume you remember Agent Volker…"

The frail woman, who appeared to be in her late sixties or early seventies, regarded him with a stern expression on her weatherbeaten face. "Why do you need to speak with me? I've already told you everything I know about Julius' death." She turned to her lawyer with a glare. "There's nothing more to say, Darla…tell them to let me go home..."

Booth nodded slightly to his protege', who then pulled up a newspaper article on his tablet. Clearing his throat, Volker shook his head. "I think you're mistaken, Ms. Coakley, when you say you've told us everything. See, it says here that Arthur Coakley, who happens to be your nephew, is a nationally ranked archer. He just won a big tournament in Charlotte not too long ago…made a nice chunk of change in the process..."

"So?" The woman sat back in her chair and folded her hands in her lap, regarding him with cold gray eyes. "That's got nothing to do with me…"

Darla pushed the tablet away. "I must insist that you allow us to leave. Ms. Coakley's relationship with her nephew has no bearing on whatever case you're trying to make…"

"It might seem that way at first...that we're wasting our time..." Booth smiled to himself as he saw Ms. Coakley relax slightly. "...except for the fact that Mr. Keeling's 'accident' might not have actually been an accident after all. We have evidence that shows that the large flower pot that hit him on the head was probably knocked out of place by an aluminum practice arrow...probably similar to the arrows your nephew would use. Do you know where Arthur is, Ms. Coakley? We can't seem to locate him...it's like he's disappeared…you know, like he's fallen from the face of the earth, so to speak. We just want to talk to him..."

She shook her head resolutely. "I don't know what you mean. I haven't seen Arthur for months…we're not that close..."

Agent Volker picked up his tablet and showed Booth a map of the woman's neighborhood. "Look...this is her brownstone, right next to the victim's house. It's two stories, with access to the roof. If someone stood on this corner of the roof, here…" He drew an X with his stylus. "...and shot an arrow in this direction…" He sketched in a line. "...it would fly towards the flower pot in an arc that matches the trajectory in Ms. Montenegro's report. This is the only building that gives us that perfect match…"

Nervously picking at her fingernails, Ms. Coakley bit her lip as she turned to her lawyer. "Tell them to let me be, Darla. I'm not saying another word…"

"That's your right, of course." Booth grunted as he pushed his chair away from the table. "However, for the record, I don't think you shot the arrow that caused Mr. Keeling's death, Ms. Coakley, because I don't think you're strong enough to pull back the string on a compound bow as big as the one your nephew uses. Furthermore, and also for the record, I'm guessing you know who really shot it, right? And maybe you picked up the point and the pieces of the shattered arrow to protect that someone…someone like Arthur..."

Ms. Coakley stared at Booth and Volker impassively. "I have nothing more to say."

"Okay, then…" Nodding at Volker, the men stood up to leave. "We're going to hold you for 48 hours as a material witness. Maybe sitting in a jail cell will help you become more talkative."

The lawyer gasped out loud. "Agent Booth, my client is elderly. Surely you don't plan on putting her in a cell with the general population, do you? She should be released on her own recognizance…"

Standing with his hands on his hips, Booth shook his head. "She's not going anywhere...not until I find out more about Arthur…"

"Can I speak to her privately for a moment?," the lawyer asked in a pleading tone.

After pretending to think things over, Booth agreed. "I suppose so. In fact, I'll give you five minutes. We'll be right outside..."

Placing his hand on Volker's arm, Booth pointed at the door. "Let's let them figure it out…"

As the agents waited, Volker checked his messages, swearing under his breath. "Damn...I wish the woman would cooperate…just tell me what you want already, Gina..."

"Romance troubles?" Booth chuckled softly as the younger man blushed. "Don't worry, buddy...it happens to all of us…"

"Why can't they just tell us what they want for gifts? Why does it always have to be a guessing game?" Rolling his eyes, Volker put his phone away. "I guess I'll have to do the whole 'dozen roses' bit for Valentine's Day…"

"That should do the trick." Booth coughed quietly and glanced at his watch. "Okay...let's go put some more pressure on Ms. Coakley…"

The men entered the room quietly and sat down opposite Ms. Coakley and her lawyer. Pursing her lips slightly for a few seconds, the attorney finally spoke. "My client doesn't know where her nephew is right now, but…"

"But what?," Booth demanded brusquely. "Quit stalling…"

"She knows that he was in DC when this unfortunate accident occurred."

Turning to the elderly woman, the Special Agent in charge raised an eyebrow. "And did you speak to him?"

"Yes…," Ms. Coakley croaked, brushing away a tear. "He needed money bad...he was behind on his child support, so I gave him what I could, but it wasn't enough, even with winning that big tournament. Anyway, he said he was taking on a job...but…he wouldn't say what it was." She sighed softly. "When I went to check on Julius after I heard the crash, I saw the arrow point and the broken shaft, and I was so afraid that Arthur had done something stupid…that idiot never had any sense..."

"Where is Arthur now?," Volker asked. "Have you heard from him? Do you still have the arrow?"

"No...I don't know where he is..." Wringing her hands, the elderly woman shook her head. "...and I put the pieces of the arrow out with my trash this morning. I was just trying to protect him...I was afraid I'd never get to see his little girl again…she's all I have left...there's nothing else good in this world...just my sweet little Emma..."

Booth crossed his arms over his chest. "So…," he began, choosing his words cautiously. "...you admit to tampering with evidence…"

Darla quickly interrupted. "My client has not been read her rights, Agent Booth...she didn't understand that she'd be incriminating herself…"

"Relax, Ms. Davis. I'm not going to arrest Ms. Coakley...at least not yet...but make sure she doesn't leave town. We'll be in touch. Agent Volker? I think we're through here..."

As the agents left, a confused Volker turned to Booth. "Shouldn't we book her on something? We can hold her for 48 hours, right? I mean, she destroyed evidence..."

"Yeah, she did...but we've got bigger fish to fry. I tell you what...call Dr. Hodgins over at the Jeffersonian and have him figure out which landfill Ms. Coakley's trash goes to...and then ask Ms. Montenegro to see if she can find out where Arthur Coakley's been using his credit cards." Booth spoke quietly as he and Volker walked down the hall. "And put a tail on Ms. Coakley. As attached as she seems to be to that little girl, I'm pretty sure she knows where her nephew is."

Making notes on his tablet, Volker nodded. "Anything else?"

"Yeah...don't forget to buy your girlfriend those roses!" Glancing at his watch, Booth grinned. "I've got some paperwork to do before I head home. See you tomorrow…"

"Okay." Waving at his supervisor, the young agent left to take care of his to do list.

Finally alone, Booth pulled out his phone and checked the text his wife had sent him earlier. "To hell with paperwork...I'm going home!"

Oooooooooo

The children had been tucked into their beds, and it was time for Booth and Brennan to spend a quiet hour or two together, enjoying some peace after another hectic day. Brennan beamed as she handed Booth his scotch before settling next to him on the sofa with her glass of red wine.

"I know we don't usually talk about work at home, but I wanted to let you know that I found out something interesting about Mr. Gladpoole…," Brennan said quietly. "Do you want to know what it is?"

"Hmm?" He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Nah...It can wait until tomorrow." He cast a suspicious glance at her drink. "Do you really think you should be drinking that much wine?"

"What?" Surprised by his question, she shrugged. "I always have a glass of wine after dinner…"

"Yeah, but…" He lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Isn't there something you need to consider? Something you need to tell me?"

Her brow furrowed as she thought over his questions. "No...just some information about Mr. Gladpoole…"

Seeing her blank expression, he rolled his eyes. "Come on, Bones...I know something is up…"

"What are you talking about, Booth? Nothing is...up…" Brennan pulled away from him. "Why are you teasing me?"

"Oh." Suddenly unsure of himself, Booth grimaced sheepishly. "I was thinking...I mean...you know...you've been so...into us...sexually...and the last time...you felt like this...we had Hank…"

"Oh, I see." She nodded as she sipped her wine. "You assumed that my libido had been accelerated by an influx of pregnancy hormones. I understand." Seeing her husband's embarrassment, Brennan laughed as she moved closer to him. Caressing his face, she gently kissed his cheek. "I'm certain that I'm not pregnant, Booth. Rather, I think I'm merely experiencing the onset of my sexual prime…"

"Sexual prime?," Booth squeaked as her hands roamed over his body. "What the hell is that?"

"Well, men reach their sexual prime early in life...normally during their late teens. That's where the stereotype of the horny teenager comes from. However, women reach their sexual prime much later in life...in their thirties and forties." She gave him a sexy smile. "Of course, having such an attractive mate has kept me well stimulated...and well satisfied...for quite some time, but now...now that I'm somewhat older, I feel that I've gained maturity and wisdom and therefore I'm more able to fully appreciate all the nuances of our love making, which has enhanced my enjoyment of sex intensely. I find that I want to spend more quality time with you...if you know what I mean..."

Booth did know what she meant. Quickly tossing back his scotch, he licked his lips as he sat his glass aside. "Well, Bones...time's a-wasting...if you want to spend more time with me, I think we ought to start right now…"

She smiled as she put her glass on the end table and rose from the sofa. She smiled as she turned and sauntered toward their bedroom. "I agree. Join me after you lock up?"

"Sure." His breathing quickened as he watched her walk away. He wasn't convinced that his wife wasn't pregnant, and he still wasn't sure what she meant by her assertion that she had reached her sexual prime, but, being a seasoned investigator, he was more than willing to look into both of those subjects. "I'll be there in a minute…"

He grinned as he checked the back door, wondering if he'd be able to survive his wife's sexual awakening. There was only one way to find out. "Oh, yeah...ready or not, Bones...here I come…"

* * *

_**The words I used were nail, newspaper, naked, neighbor, and nephew.**_

_**If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura**_


	6. T is for Tenderly

_**A/N: finally another chapter. Sorry for the delay. Your kind comments are appreciated.**_

* * *

The next morning, Booth was busy in the kitchen making breakfast for his family. He smiled as he flipped the heart shaped pancakes he'd made for Christine and Hank. After sliding the special treats onto some plates, he sprinkled them with powdered sugar and strawberries, all the while humming happily as he thought about the upcoming weekend.

They'd celebrate Valentine's Day as a family in a few days, probably with dinner out at a kid friendly restaurant and then maybe a favorite movie at home. He could already imagine the fancy cards his kids would bring home from school...most likely red paper hearts covered with tons of glitter, with something like '_I love Mommy and Daddy' _scribbled in marker or crayon. The cards would have a place of honor on the refrigerator for a few days before being safely tucked away in the tin box Bones had set aside for her keepsakes. Reaching for his coffee mug, he laughed softly. For someone who said she didn't attach special meaning to inanimate objects, she was remarkably sentimental when it came to gifts from her children...that was one of the many things he loved about her...

"Something smells good…" Brennan walked into the kitchen and greeted her husband with a kiss. "Did you make some pancakes for me, too?"

"Of course." Putting the plates in front of the kids as they sat down at the counter, he gave his wife a sly wink. "You deserve a good breakfast after your tremendous workout last night…"

"Hmm...it was tiring, but still...quite enjoyable…," she purred, giving him a sultry smile in return. "It seems you're very happy, too. Perhaps we should work out like that more often..."

"Did you and Daddy go to the gym last night, Mommy?." Christine asked innocently as she ate a bite of her breakfast. Wiping some sugar from her mouth with her tee shirt sleeve, she giggled. "I think Daddy looks funny when he does squats…"

"Don't use your sleeve, Christine.," Brennan fussed as she handed the little girl a napkin. "And no, we didn't go to the gym. Daddy and I…"

Unsure of what his wife was going to say, Booth suddenly interrupted. "We decided to exercise here at home, that's all." Catching Brennan's smirk, he cleared his throat. "Okay, kiddos...Let's finish up your breakfast. You need to put away the toys in the family room before we leave for school, so chop-chop…get things picked up and then go get your backpacks..."

Complying quickly, the children finished their breakfast and hopped down from their sets to complete their chore.

Sipping her coffee, Brennan chuckled as Booth loaded the plates in the dishwasher. "Were you concerned that I might give Christine too many details about how we worked out last night, Booth?"

"Well, you're not exactly known for your tact, and I didn't want to take any chances…I might not be up to answering all her questions, you know? She's a lot like her mother when it comes to ferreting out the truth." Laughing softly, he tenderly embraced his Bones and gave her a kiss. "So what's on your agenda today?"

"As of now, nothing extraordinary. I'll be working in bone storage today with my new intern, Mr. Devlin, showing him how to record measurements into the unidentified individuals database." She put her arms around Booth's neck, smiling as he pulled her closer. "However, I did want to talk to you about Mr. Gladpoole. Do you have time before you leave this morning, or should I meet you at the diner for lunch?"

Booth glanced at his watch. "Hmm...me and the kids need to leave in a few minutes, so let's meet for lunch. That way we won't have to rush…"

"If I remember correctly, you actually enjoy rushing from time to time." She wore a naughty grin as she kissed him. "There have been many occasions when you wanted to engage in what you call a quickie…"

Booth felt his temperature rise as he recalled a few of those intimate situations. "Bones…," he whined softly as he squirmed away from her grasp. "...that's not fair. I need to leave for work...and how am I gonna be able to concentrate when I'm sitting in a boring budget meeting if you keep bringing up stuff like that before I go to work?"

She shrugged as she casually ran her fingers down his tie. "That's not my problem…"

"Daddy!" Christine and Hank came running into the kitchen. "We're ready for school…"

He glanced toward the family room. "Everything's put away?"

"Uh huh...and we have our backpacks." Christine held up her _Hello Kitty _bag. "And I remembered my homework."

Hank made a beeline for the refrigerator. "Where's my lunch?"

"Just a minute…" Brennan pulled out two lunch boxes. "Here you go. Now, give Mommy a kiss...and be good at school. I'll see both of you later…"

As she kissed Booth, she furtively patted his butt. "And I'll see you at lunch…"

"Yeah. Love you...bye." He smiled to himself as he herded his kids out the door. He was really enjoying his wife's sexual prime…and he hoped it was going to last a while...

Oooooooooo

A clap of thunder sounded overhead as Agents Booth and Volker got out of Booth's large black SUV and dashed across the street to the diner. Shaking out their overcoats, they stepped inside the crowded cafe and looked around for a few seconds before Booth spotted his wife. "Over there…"

She greeted her husband with a beautiful smile as he sat next to her before turning her attention to Agent Volker. "I assume you have news about the Keeling case?"

The younger man nodded as he sat down. He'd been told that Dr. Brennan was rude, but as far as he could tell, she was simply direct, wanting to waste little time on the social niceties that often filled so many aimless minutes. "Yes, ma'am, I do have news. We think we've narrowed down the search perimeter for Arthur Coakley. His family still has a farm in the Walkersville area, which is a couple of hours north of here. We got a warrant to flag his credit cards so we'd know if he used them, and a transaction showed up from the Walkersville One Stop this morning, so we've got some agents on the way to check out the place. It's a small town, but there's a lot of open country surrounding it…"

"So he might be able to hide out for days.," Booth added grimly. "Still, it's the best we've got."

"It wasn't very smart of Mr. Coakley to use his credit card like that. Surely he must realize he'd be considered a suspect in Keeling's death since an arrow was used to dislodge that large pot." Brennan's brow furrowed as she sipped her tea. "I think the agents should ask for the store's surveillence video to make sure he was the one using the card."

Booth turned to Volker. "That's a good idea. Go call Pete and Bill and tell them to check out the footage from any store in the area that has a camera. We need to make sure it's Arthur."

"Okay.," Volker agreed, somewhat unhappy about having to leave the warmth of the restaurant. "Hey, order me a turkey club and some fries." He rose from his seat and stepped outside to make the call.

Glancing at his wife, Booth stirred some sugar into his coffee. "So what did you want to tell me about Mr. Gladpoole?"

"Actually, he should be called Dr. Gladpoole. He was a professor at Brown University for several years." She accessed an article on her phone and handed it to Booth. "However, it seems that his reputation as a musicologist has taken a beating over the last few months. I remembered reading that story about how he'd tried to present a paper at an archaeological convention...something about how some primitive musical instruments were found at a Neanderthal site, which would indicate that the Neanderthals had a much more advanced culture than what is normally accepted by the academic world. Unfortunately, the research he cited was not his own. He'd used information that he'd stolen from one of his graduate assistants. When word got around that he'd plagiarized another person's paper...well, I'm sure you can imagine what happened next. He was thoroughly disgraced. Rightly so, perhaps, but it would still be a terrible price to pay..."

"So...he's a thief, and not a very good one at that." Booth skimmed through the article. "That's wild...prehistoric musical instruments? How would an archaeologist even know that's what the objects were if they were that old…"

"That was another problem with the find. It's one thing to have a graduate assistant make that sort of leap in logic, but a seasoned researcher like Dr. Gladpoole should never have given the find any credence." Brennan sighed softly. "There was another more serious problem in that the artifacts that were presented at the convention were not from the correct era. They turned out to be from the late Bronze Age. That was an unforgivable mistake...even a first year student would've known the difference, but Dr. Gladpoole was too quick to take credit for the find, and so his work was sloppy and unprofessional...totally inappropriate for a man of his academic standing."

Uncertain what that statement meant, Booth shrugged. "So the guy's a thief _and _a fraud. What does that have to do with his husband's death?"

Brennan grimaced slightly as she ate a bite of her salad. "You know I don't like to speculate, Booth. I'm merely presenting facts. However, I will tell you that Dr. Gladpoole must've suffered some significant financial reverses because of his errors in judgment. He was fired from his position at Brown, and, given his sullied reputation, it's unlikely that he's been able to find employment in the academic world...at least not employment that pays as well."

Booth nodded slightly as he considered her explanation. "And yet, his spouse had just recently purchased a very expensive violin bow. I wonder if that caused a rift between them."

"Do you have any idea as to whether or not they were happily married?" Brennan ran her fingers around the rim of her cup. "I know how I would feel if you had spent that much money on an item if we were in difficult financial straits…"

"Yeah, that's true. I don't know if they got along, but that would sure throw a wrench in things." Booth ran his hand over his chin. "I mean, even if Julius needed that bow for work, it was still a big chunk of change…" He paused as Volker came back to the table. "Hey, Derek...did you ever figure out if Keeling had enough insurance to cover the theft of that fancy bow?"

Volker nodded as he sat down. "Yeah...they had a rider to cover the loss, so as Mr. Keeling's survivor, Gladpoole will be compensated. Why?"

Booth grinned slightly as he pulled some note cards from his jacket pocket. "Well, let's see…" He talked softly as he sketched out a flow chart. "Let's suppose the bow is reported stolen, okay? So the theft gets reported to the insurance company, and the victim of the crime gets reimbursed. I mean, there's a police report and a murder, so it doesn't look like any sort of fraud situation, right?" He paused, looking up at his companions. "Now, let's suppose that the bow wasn't really stolen by an intruder...that it was picked up by Dr. Gladpoole immediately after his husband's death. It gets mailed back to the seller, and Gladpoole gets the deposit money back, along with the money that the insurance company has to pay for his claim. That'd be a nice windfall for a down on his luck musicologist, right?"

"Right." Volker studied Booth's diagram and shook his head. "The problem is proving that this is what happened…"

He was interrupted by a call. "Volker…" He put his hand over the phone and turned to Booth. "It's Pete…" After listening for a minute, he nodded. "Good job...yeah...bring him to DC and book him here...we'll talk to him as soon as we can." Pocketing his phone, he smiled. "They just picked up Arthur Coakley. Maybe now we can figure out what really happened to Mr. Keeling."

"Good. Say, if you're finished with your lunch, go back to the Hoover and see if you can contact the man who sold that bow to the victim. See if it's been returned, okay? You can go on back to the Hoover...I bet you can get a cab pretty easily around here...and I'll take care of lunch."

Recognizing that he was being dismissed, Volker grabbed a few more fries. "Sure thing, Booth." The young man's phone rang again, and he broke into a grin when he saw the number. "Hey, Gina…"

As Volker left, Brennan turned to her husband. "I think you enjoy ordering him around…"

"Yeah, maybe. I mean, I am his mentor, and I'm supposed to teach him how to handle a case, right? He's learning fast...he's gonna be a good agent."

The couple watched in interest as Volker continued an animated phone conversation on the sidewalk outside the diner. "I've been trying to help him out with Valentine's Day, too. He's supposed to order some flowers for his girlfriend…"

Seeing the young man gesture angrily as he ended the call, Brennan laughed out loud. "I hope your FBI mentoring is going better than your romance mentoring…"

"Things will be fine. Trust me...they'll figure it out." He smirked as he glanced at his watch. "By the way...do you remember what we were talking about this morning?"

"Let me see…" Brennan tapped her fingers on the table, apparently lost in thought. "Oh yes...gym memberships…and how you don't like to talk about workouts before you have to leave for work."

"Ha ha. Very funny." He leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I was just thinking that I'm in the mood for a quick workout...if you know what I mean…"

Brennan pretended to be shocked. "You mean...a quickie? Agent Booth…I'm surprised at you…"

He dangled his car keys in front of her. "Why do you think I sent Volker back in a cab? Was it really for him to work on the case? Or was it to get him out of the way…"

"I think I know the answer to your question. Shall we adjourn to the car? Perhaps find a nice quiet place to park where no one will notice if we fog up the windows?" Brennan giggled as she picked up her purse and jacket. "I know...how about an underground level at the Jeffersonian…"

"Whoa, Bones...dont'cha think we might get caught? I was thinking of somewhere a little less...public…"

"Where's the fun in that? I think the idea that we might be discovered while engaging in coitus is very stimulating." Brennan linked arms with Booth as they left the restaurant. "Besides, that way, after we've made love, I can just take the elevator up to work."

"That does sound like a good idea. After all, I'm consulting with you on this case, so I'd have a good reason to be there…"

She licked her lips suggestively as she climbed into the car. "You're going to have a very good reason...but we need to hurry, don't you think? After all, the point of a quickie is to be spontaneous...too much planning takes the quickness out of the quickie…"

"I suppose you're right." Grinning from ear to ear, Booth backed the truck out of the parking space. "Okay then...let's go be quick. After all, we have a case to solve...you don't want to take time away from that, right?"

"Absolutely." She gave him a saucy grin. "Quickie now...nice and slow later…"

"Sounds like a plan, Bones." He smiled as he reached over to pat her knee. "Sounds like a plan…."

* * *

_**The words I used were talk, tact, toy, thunder, temperature, and thief.**_

_**If you have time to review, I'd like that.**_


	7. I is for In Love

_**Here we are...another chapter. The words I used in this installment are ice, identity, imagine, impulsive, instructor and invent.**_

* * *

Arthur Coakley studied his hands, ignoring his lawyer and the two FBI agents who had just entered the room. A large, muscular man, he wore an impassive expression, much the same as the one worn by his elderly aunt. His unshaven face bore evidence of years spent outdoors, with deep lines and creases crossing his skin like a relief map.

Booth and Volker sat down across from the man, silently watching him for a few minutes before spreading out the contents of a file folder. "Do you know why we brought you in today, Mr. Coakley?," Volker asked quietly.

"You assholes think I murdered somebody...that's what the son of a bitch said...that bastard who cuffed me." Arthur scowled as he spat on the floor. "I don't care what anyone says, it wasn't me. I don't use my bow like that! This is a big fucking screw up...a case of mistaken identity or something like that..."

"Yeah, that's what they all say." Booth shook his head as he sat back in the chair. "But here's the problem, Artie. The pot that fell over and hit Julius on the head, killing him? We have forensic evidence that shows it was knocked out of place by an aluminum practice arrow...just like the ones you use."

"That's a big pile of shit, and you know it!," Coakley raged. "Those goddamn arrows are available anywhere…any joker can buy them at any sporting goods store without any sort of ID."

Volker pulled out a photograph of a rooftop. "That may be true, but what about the access to the top of your aunt's brownstone? Can just anyone climb those stairs? See, our expert says that the arrow's trajectory had to be almost straight down from your roof...like this…" He indicated the line with a marker. "So if not you, then who was it? I don't think your aunt could pull your big compound bow…it'd have to be someone a lot stronger than a frail old woman. However, we can go pick her up and hold her for a couple of days. I'm sure she'll be alright in a jail cell with those hardened criminals...I bet she'd be willing to talk after being in stir with all those guys."

Realizing that Coakley wasn't budging, Booth shrugged as he pulled out a bank statement. "We know you left town and went to Walkersville right after Keeling was killed, Artie. We've got your credit card receipts right here…"

Stunned, Coakley shook his head in surprise. "But I didn't use it there…"

Before Arthur could respond further, his lawyer spoke up. "My client doesn't have to answer any more questions, Agent Booth. Your so-called evidence is circumstantial at best…"

Booth glowered at the man. "We've definitely got enough to hold your client, given the nature of the crime. However…" He paused, leafing through the pages of the file. "...I tend to think what happened was more of an accident instead of an intentional murder." Pursing his lips slightly, the agent pressed his fingertips together, studying Arthur's craggy face. "I've read your file, Coakley. You don't strike me as the impulsive type. After all, you were a drill instructor in the Army...a well respected non-com with a sharpshooter's badge, not a clown who'd go off half-cocked at the drop of a hat. Being a Ranger myself, I get where you're coming from, okay? You're used to being in charge...used to maintaining a cool head, right? Used to people taking orders from you...used to making a difference."

Coakley's stoic expression changed slightly as his gaze shifted towards Booth. "Yeah...I was real good at my job in the Army, too, training those fucking rookie GIs…goddamn meatheads couldn't find their ass with both hands when they started and I made good soldiers out of 'em. They could shoot...they worked as a team..."

"Yeah…" Booth nodded. "And then what? Your unit got called up? You had to go to Afghanistan and leave your little girl behind…"

Exhaling sadly, Arthur's shoulders slumped. "Her mom dumped me...she said I'd have to pony up a huge chunk of change for child support if I wanted to see my kid again…all on a staff sergeant's salary...and then we had to go overseas for a deployment. It sucked big time...and even with combat pay, I got behind on my payments."

Volker glanced at Booth, getting tacit approval before asking the next question. "What happened in Afghanistan, Arthur?"

"My unit got jumped...we were overrun by some Taliban. I was pinned down...stuck in a corner with enemy combatants coming at me. I shot one bad guy right between the eyes, and was aiming at another when my buddy Rio suddenly stepped in front of him, and he took the bullet instead. Rio survived, but now he's paralyzed from the waist down. The Army ruled it an accident...fortunes of war and all that shit, so there was no disciplinary action...but then a week or two later, I found out I couldn't shoot my weapons any more…I couldn't even look at a pistol without having a panic attack."

"And then you realized you have a form of PTSD." Booth sighed softly. "And then you were discharged, but you have no real skills…"

"No real skills, but I still have a good eye." Coakley drew imaginary circles on the table. "One of the counselors I met with at the VA was into archery, and he introduced me to the sport...said it would help me to have some physical activity." Glancing up at Booth, he shrugged. "Turns out I'm pretty good at it. I've won some money…"

Coakley's lawyer shifted nervously in his chair. "That's enough, Arthur. You don't have to say anything more…"

"Shut the fuck up, Leonard. I'm pretty sure these guys already know what happened. No use to try to hide it." Arthur turned to Booth. "You know, right?"

"I know you needed money. Even with your tournament prizes you were still in a deep hole financially." Booth pulled out a sheet of paper filled with numbers. "See, I've been there with my kid, man. I imagine you'd do whatever it took to pay off your child support so you could see your little girl, right? Even if it meant doing something sketchy..."

"Like I said, it was an accident. It was a harebrained scheme, though, and I was a fucking idiot to get involved in the first place. The guy who hired me knew about my archery shit because he knows my aunt somehow. He just wanted me to knock that big pot over so Keeling would leave the house for a few minutes to clean it up. That's all I had to do. And instead of getting paid entirely in cash, which would look suspicious, I got some money when first I took the job, and then the guy was supposed to pay off my credit card debt by direct deposit when the job was complete. That way I could start over, you know? So he gave me seven thousand in cash with the rest payable after the deed was done." Drumming his fingers nervously, Arthur cleared his throat. "I had the angle all worked out, so I was up on the roof, getting ready to take the shot…and I hesitated, since Keeling was out on the patio." He choked back a sob. "So I realigned my aim, but my aunt's fucking German shepherd jumped up on me and knocked me off balance right as I took the shot. The pot hit that poor guy on the head and he dropped like a rock. It was awful…"

"Who was it, Arthur? Who hired you?," Volker asked, pressing for more information. "What is his name?"

"I don't know his real name. All of our transactions were via burner cell phones and drops. He said it was safer that way. He calls himself the Duke. That's all I know."

Leonard, the attorney, turned pleading eyes towards the agents sitting across from him. "It seems that what happened to Mr. Keeling was indeed an accident, and my client had no real criminal intent to harm the man. He's a veteran suffering from a traumatic stress disorder...surely you can't charge him with a felony…"

Booth sighed quietly as he and Volker gathered up the papers on the table. "I don't have any real say in that, but when I give this information to the DA, I'll tell her that your client cooperated, and that there are extenuating circumstances. That's the best I can do. Until then, I'm going to have him remanded into custody." Alerting the guards standing outside, Booth pointed at Arthur. "Take him downstairs…"

As the agents watched Arthur leave, Volker sighed sadly. "You know, I kinda feel sorry for the guy. I mean, he was involved in a crooked scheme, but it's obvious he didn't mean to kill Keeling…"

Scratching the back of his neck, Booth grimaced at the younger man. "He didn't mean to kill the guy, but that's what happened, right? I mean, intentional or not, Keeling is dead, and Coakley is responsible. He'll end up doing some time and he'll probably lose everything in the process. But I agree...it's sad."

The agents left the room and walked down the hall in silence. Finally after a few minutes, Booth spoke again. "We need to figure out if this 'Duke' guy is really Henderson Gladpoole, okay? Here's what I want you to do...make sure we get all the surveillence video from Walkersville. I've got a gut feeling that whoever hired Coakley wanted to use his credit card to incriminate him…and that's why he offered to pay off the balance."

Volker was obviously surprised. "Wait...you mean, the Duke used the credit card number to call attention to the fact that Arthur was in Walkersville? That's just cold…"

"That's actually pretty smart, if you think about it. It puts Coakley in the area, and gives the guy who ordered the damage time to get things cleared up." Booth stopped, tapping his foot as he thought over the case. "I want that surveillence tape ASAP, understand? Like first thing in the morning...like even if you have to drive over to the town yourself at dawn to get it."

"Yeah, okay." Volker made a note on his phone before checking the time. "Geez, it's late. I need to take off...gotta go pick up Gina's gift. Tell you what...I'll call over to the police department in Walkersville and tell them what I want, and have it waiting for me when I get it bright and early tomorrow morning. Will that work?"

"I guess so, Romeo." Booth couldn't help but grin. "So what'd you get her?"

"Earrings...pearl earrings. Real nice ones." Volker nodded happily. "She's gonna love them."

"Good deal. Okay, so call me as soon as you get that video, okay? We'll need time to go over it…" Booth waved as the younger man walked away. "See you tomorrow…"

"Yeah...bye."

Oooooooooo

It was late in the evening, and the children were asleep. As much as Brennan loved her children, she also enjoyed reconnecting with her husband at the end of the day. Anthropologically speaking, it helped strengthen the family bond. Personally speaking, it was both relaxing and very fulfilling.

She dropped a couple ice cubes into her husband's scotch and handed the glass to him as she joined him on the sofa. "You seem unusually pensive this evening, Booth. Is something wrong? Are you having trouble with the Keeling case?"

He shrugged as he swirled the whisky around before taking a sip. "I don't know, really. I mean, I'm pretty sure Arthur Coakley did knock that flower pot off its ledge with an arrow, but the rest of his story is just wild, and he doesn't strike me as the kind of fella who'd invent such a crazy tale."

"So you think someone took advantage of him?," Brennan asked. "That's terrible!"

"Yeah, the guy needed money to pay his child support, and he doesn't have a lot of education or marketable skills, so he was easy to dupe. I can relate to what he went through, you know...you get mustered out and think you can get a job right away, but everybody wants something you don't have...and his PTSD doesn't help him find work, either."

Nestling next to Booth, Brennan smiled up at him. "You identify with him, don't you? You want to help him…"

"Yeah...I guess I do identify with the guy. After all, who knows how I would've turned out if Pops didn't have his heart set on me going to college? I mean, it seems like Coakley didn't have any family except his aunt...no one to push him to do better…so he did as little as possible with his life."

"I see." Brennan nodded as she sipped her wine. "Are you going to talk to Caroline about him? Maybe she can get him a more lenient sentence."

"I'll probably talk to her, but I don't know if it'll do any good. He admits to being responsible for Keeling's death." He kissed the top of Brennan's head. "Sorry...I know you don't like us to talk about work at home. I should've done better about leaving that stuff at the office."

"I'm not upset with you, Booth. I know you care deeply about your work." She lay her head on his shoulder. "That's one of the things I love about you."

"Yeah?" He grinned as she smiled up at him.

"Yeah. You're a very good man, Booth."

"Thanks, Bones." He took a sip of his scotch and set his glass on the end table. "You know, I'm a man of many talents…"

"Really? What kind of talents?"

"I can't tell you...I have to show you." He waggled an eyebrow at her. "Trust me...you'll like it."

She nodded as she set her goblet aside. "Are you using me to forget a bad day at work?"

"What? No, of course not! I love you, Bones! I'd never use you like that…"

Giggling softly, she kissed him. "I'm teasing you." She tilted her head to one side. "Besides, I know all about your many talents...unless you've been holding out on me…or perhaps you've learned something new..."

Laughing, he rose from the sofa and pulled her up as well. "I'll never tell…"

"Well, then…" She wiggled her hips at him as she walked toward their bedroom. "You'd better come show me what you've got…"

Nodding in agreement, he smiled. "An excellent idea, Bones...an excellent idea…"

* * *

_**Thanks for reading. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura.**_


	8. N is for Naughty

**A/N: we're getting closer to the end of our little story. The words I used in this chapter are normal, nosy, notebook, neck, and nervous.**

* * *

Grumbling to himself, Booth reached over to slap at the noisy alarm clock as it sounded from the nightstand. "Six AM already? Jesus…I feel like I just fell asleep and now I have to get up..."

As he scratched his belly, he rolled over to embrace his wife. "Mornin', Bones…"

"Good morning." She snuggled against his broad chest. "Did you sleep well?"

"Oh, yeah." He chuckled softly as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "I was beat, you know? You kinda wore me out."

"Which you seemed to enjoy immensely." She giggled as he gently caressed her. "Of course, I enjoyed it as well."

"I'm glad." He grunted as the snooze alarm went off. "I hate that damn thing…" He swatted at it, knocking it off the stand. "Hopefully, that shut it off for good…'

"Well, as we've discussed many times, we could both retire and live quite well on the income from my books. That way you would be able to sleep as late as you wanted."

Shrugging, he lay back on the bed. "Yeah, maybe, but I don't think I'd like it, you know? It wouldn't seem normal...not going to work everyday. I think I'd always feel like I was being a lazy bum or something…"

"Well, someday you'll be required to retire…" Smiling, she sat up in bed. "...but it doesn't have to be today." She glanced at the clock. "If you are going to work today, you should probably get out of bed…"

"I will in a minute. C'mere…" He pulled on his laughing wife's arm gently until she lay down next to him. "So...do you know what today is?"

Rolling her eyes, she pretended to glare at him. "Friday…"

"That's not what I meant. It's the thirteenth...the day before Valentine's Day. Guess who got his wife a little something special?"

Brennan's brow furrowed for a few seconds before she answered. "Hodgins?"

"No! Well, maybe...but I was talking about someone you know very well...someone you've been naked with…"

She smirked as she ran her fingers down his chest. "Oh...you mean Sully. But I don't think he ever married his girlfriend…"

"Sully? What the hell?" Booth narrowed his eyes at his wife. "No, not Sully, either…"

"Oh. Well, who was it then?" She giggled as she feigned innocence. "You know I don't like guessing games. You'd better just tell me…"

"It's me, silly." He laughed as she arched an eyebrow at him. "I bought you a little something...just because, you know...because I love you…"

"I see." She tapped her fingers against his muscular arm. "When do I get to see it?"

"On Valentine's Day." Booth chuckled softly as she pouted a bit. Knowing how nosy his wife could be, he was glad his little surprise was safely hidden in his desk drawer at work. "Not today, sorry. You'll just have to wait. However…" He took her into his arms. "I know how we can pass the time until then…"

Just then his phone rang loudly. "Shit! What is it with things making loud noises to interrupt me today? Booth…really? Yeah, that is interesting...okay, yeah. See you then." Ending the call, he looked surprised as he tossed his phone aside. "That was Volker…"

"This early in the morning?" Brennan glanced at the clock on her side of the bed. "It's only 6:15…"

"Well, yesterday he said he was going to Walkersville early this morning, so I guess he made good on his promise. Anyway, he's already looked through some of the video and he's pretty sure it wasn't Coakley that the cameras caught, but he doesn't know who it is. He says it's hard to see the guy. Maybe Angela's got some sort of computer body identification thingy that can help…"

"Perhaps she does. I'll talk to her when I get to work. However, since we're already awake…" Brennan grinned slyly at Booth. "I think we can take a few minutes for ourselves before the children wake up, don't you? Unless you're too tired, that is…"

"Oh no." Kissing her tenderly, he caressed her cheek. "I'll never be too tired for you…"

Ooooooooo

A few hours later, Brennan was in Angela's office, waiting for Booth and Volker to arrive. She watched as Angela cued up the newly acquired surveillance video on the large viewing screen. "Booth has informed me that he's purchased a small gift for me to mark Valentine's Day."

"Ooh...that sounds like fun. Any ideas what it could be?" Angela glanced at her friend. "Maybe it's jewelry…"

"I don't need any jewelry.," Brennan stated succinctly. "I have more now than I can wear…"

"Listen, Brennan...if your husband wants you to have a nice piece of jewelry, don't turn it down, okay? That would hurt his feelings…"

"I know…" Shaking her head, the anthropologist grimaced slightly. "I'm not sure why he felt the need to buy me a gift, though. Our trip last weekend was supposed to be a gift for both of us to enjoy together, and it was most pleasant. We have great memories to share. I don't need anything more…"

"Sweetie, Booth is a romantic, okay? He probably saw something in a store window somewhere and it reminded him of you...you know, something he knew you'd enjoy. It may not be anything expensive...maybe it's just a trinket of some sort, like your little toy pig or the Smurf figurine you keep on your desk. The point is that he's just showing how much he loves you, okay?"

"I suppose you're correct." Considering Angela's explanation, Brennan bit her lip. "I wonder if I should get him something as well, although it may be difficult to make an appropriate choice. Since I'm not sure what he has for me, it's impossible to know what to purchase as a comparable gift."

"You're making this way too complicated, Sweetie. I'm sure Booth wouldn't want you to fret over this gift thing, okay? That's not why he told you he has a gift for you. He just wanted you to know that he was thinking of you."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Booth and Volker. "Hey, Bones...hey, Angela. Have you had time to go over the security footage?"

"I was just getting ready to do that." Angela gave her newest visitor an appraising glance. "I'm Angela Montenegro. Nice to meet you, Agent Volker. I've heard lots of good things about you."

"Um...thanks," he said, laughing nervously as he took a small notebook and pen from his pocket. Seeing Booth's look of surprise at the old fashioned tools, the young man smiled sheepishly. "I forgot to charge my tablet last night. Anyway, Ms. Montenegro, I'm just trying to do my job, you know? Special Agent Booth has been a great help while he's been mentoring me, and I've learned a lot already."

"Yeah, okay...whatever. Save the BS for later." Waving off Volker's compliment, Booth watched the video closely. "Where's the section with our guy?"

Angela nodded. "It's the next section. Here...let me fast forward this…"

The blurry images scrolled by until she got to the correct time on the video. "Okay, this is from the convenience store." She paused the video so they could see the person in question. "It appears to be a middle aged man, but his face is partially hidden by that hood…"

"Freeze it!" Brennan studied the video for a minute. "Angela, would you please bring up a picture of Arthur Coakley?"

"Sure." She input some information into her computer, and Coakley's image popped up on the screen next to the video.

"Look, Booth...right here...at the zygomatic arch." Brennan walked up to the screen and pointed at the image. "This person is not Mr. Coakley. Overall, Mr. Coakley seems to be more muscular, with a robust skeletal mass, and I believe this person tried to simulate that by wearing bulky clothes. However, the angle of this person's zygomatic is completely different than Mr. Coakley's is. I was right...someone was impersonating Mr. Coakley in order to call attention to his being in the area. That's why the credit card was used...it was an obvious attempt to point a finger in his direction."

"And I guess the clerk wasn't paying much attention, since the guy was there at a busy time of day." Scratching the back of his neck, Booth was grim as he considered the situation. "So yeah, that's what he did, but why? I mean, why go to all that trouble? You'd think whoever this guy is would already know Arthur was a suspect…"

Volker spoke quietly. "Maybe he couldn't wait too long for Coakley to be arrested. Remember your theory, Booth? That Dr. Gladpoole was behind the whole thing for the insurance money? Well, maybe the insurer balked at paying out the settlement until the case was adjudicated, since it was ruled a homicide."

"Maybe." He ran his hand over his chin before pointing at the screen. "Angela, do you have a picture of Dr. Gladpoole? If so, put it up there on the screen." As she complied, Booth turned back to Volker. "Have you found out whether or not the original owner of the bow has gotten it back?"

"He's expecting it soon. He lives in Austria, so arrangements were made for it to be shipped to him. He's expecting it next week. Funny thing, though...he said Dr. Gladpoole pushed hard to have the deposit returned immediately, before he received it in the mail. Of course, he said no…"

"Very smart move...otherwise that fancy bow would've been 'lost' in the mail permanently, and then maybe show up on Ebay in a few years."

"Here we are." Angela pointed at the screen. "Here's a photo of Dr. Gladpoole."

After comparing the pictures, Booth shrugged. "What do you think, Bones?"

Her brow furrowed as she focused on the screen. "I'm almost positive this is Dr. Gladpoole. However, the fact that the face of the man in the video is somewhat obscured by the hood suggests that I should reserve judgment."

Seeing Volker's confusion, Booth translated. "She's pretty sure it's him, but not a hundred percent. What matters is that her tentative ID of the guy is enough for us to bring him in for questioning."

"Okay." Pulling out his phone, Volker nodded. "I'll have him picked up. Meet you by the car, okay?"

As they stepped out into the hall, Booth agreed with a smirk. "That's a good idea...and while you're at it, you might want to call Gina, too, and see if she can plug in your tablet, okay? I'm assuming you were in a hurry this morning and you left it at her place?"

"Geez…" Volker looked like he might get sick. "Really? How did you…"

Pointing at the young man's shirt, Booth laughed. "I recognized that little coffee stain from yesterday." As Volker blushed, Booth shook his head. "No big deal, kid...I'm just giving you a hard time, okay? Listen, one thing you need to learn as an FBI agent is to always keep a go bag in your SUV. You know, a clean FBI tee shirt, some jeans, and maybe a clean dress shirt. After all, you never know when an 'emergency' will arise…"

"Yeah...thanks." Wearing a embarrassed grin, Volker puffed out a sigh. "Okay...I'm gonna go make some phone calls. See you in a few minutes."

"Great. I'm gonna go say goodbye to Bones."

He strolled down the hall to his wife's office. When he arrived, he found her hard at work, concentrating so intently on her monitor that she hadn't noticed him.

He couldn't help but smile as he watched her from the doorway. She was so beautiful...and she was his. Of course, he'd never describe their relationship in those terms where she could hear him, but that was exactly what he felt...he was an alpha male, and she was part of his territory.

As he studied her, it occurred to him that she was searching the internet for something. Not only that, she was muttering to herself, apparently frustrated. "Bones? What are you doing?"

Startled, she jumped, knocking over her coffee cup. "Nothing...nothing...well, not exactly nothing. I was doing some research."

"I see. What were you researching?" He arched an eyebrow at her. "It looked interesting."

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that you weren't finding what you were looking for…"

She'd been caught, but she wasn't about to give up her secret...not just yet. Rising from her desk, she walked over to him, put her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. "Are you sure you have to go back to work right now?"

"Yeah, I do...but only because I've got Volker with me. Maybe we can play some more tonight, okay? Maybe by then you'll have found a gift for me…"

"Booth! That's not fair." She pretended to slap at his arm. "You crept up on me while I was shopping!" She batted her eyelashes at him as she smoothed his tie. "I don't suppose you'd give me a hint about my gift, would you? Pretty please?"

Laughing out loud, he shook his head. "Nope...gotta run. Talk to you tonight." He gave her a quick kiss and quickly walked away, chuckling to himself as he headed for the elevator.

Frustrated and annoyed, Brennan sat back down at her computer, hoping for inspiration when she saw an ad pop up. "That's perfect…"

She smiled happily as she clicked on the website. "Exactly what I had in mind.'

Now that she knew what she was going to get her husband, it was time to focus on work, but she found her thoughts drifting to the next day.

It was definitely going to be an eventful holiday.

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**Thanks for reading. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it.**


	9. E is for Endearment

_**A/N: here we are at the last chapter of my little story. The words I used in this chapter were evidence, evil, escape, error, equal, and equipment.**_

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Booth glanced at Agent Volker as they silently walked down the hall toward the interrogation room, once again impressed with the younger man, especially since he'd done so much of the legwork on their current case. Of course, Derek had made his share of on the job mistakes, but that was to be expected during his first few years as an agent. He was learning quickly, however, and Booth knew the rookie would have a bright future ahead of him if he stayed with the FBI.

They stopped at the closed door before entering the room. "So...what do you think? Is he culpable?," Booth asked as he looked over a file.

"Yeah, without a doubt. The problem is that most of our evidence is circumstantial at this point." Seeing Booth's annoyance, the young agent rushed to explain. "We do have Dr. Brennan's ID of the guy…"

Booth sighed softly. "Such as it was, right? I mean, she wouldn't say that she was a hundred percent sure…"

"Right. Anyway, we know he had Coakley's credit card number, so it wouldn't be too hard for him to get a duplicate card, but explaining to a jury about why he went to all the trouble to do so would be difficult. Right now, it's basically Coakley's word againd Dr. Gladpoole's, and Coakley said he never got a name for the guy who'd hired him, so..." Volker groaned in frustration. "I think we're screwed on this one…and Ms. Julian's gonna be pissed."

"Yeah, she'd be pissed about it, but we're not beaten yet. I bet Gladpoole can't be sure that Arthur doesn't know his name, and it's probably making him really nervous." Closing the file, Booth laughed mirthlessly. "I think it's time to play a hunch. We need to get Gladpoole to confess, right?"

"Well, yeah...otherwise the prosecutor's office is gonna have a devil of a time trying to convict the guy." Studying Booth closely, Volker grimaced slightly. "You're not talking about entrapment, are you? I mean, I know you know what you're doing..."

"Of course not...I'm talking about planting a suggestion, okay? The guy's on edge...so maybe we can give him a little push, and then things will go our way." Reaching for the doorknob, Booth winked at his associate. "Watch and learn, Volker."

The agents walked in and sat down across from Dr. Gladpoole and his lawyer, Ms. Feng, who was most displeased that her client had been arrested. "Do you even have probable cause? Why are you harassing him? He just lost his husband...he's distraught…"

"Yeah, I can see that." Expressionless, Booth opened the file and showed them a picture lifted from the surveillance video. "He was so upset that he took a trip all the way to a little town called Walkersville and used another man's credit card at a convenience store to buy himself a soda."

"Really?" Scoffing loudly, Dr. Gladpoole rolled his eyes in disdain. "You can't possibly prove that's me…"

Realizing he hadn't gotten an outright denial, Booth nodded as he tapped the page. "Oh, but I can. You see, I have access to the best forensic anthropologist in the world. She just so happens to work at the Jeffersonian here in DC, and she does contract work for the FBI. When she compared this picture to your driver's license photograph, she said the features of the bone structure matched...specifically that the angle of the cheekbones was the same in both pictures So tell me, Dr. Gladpoole...how did being distraught force you into committing a felony? Why were you committing credit card fraud?"

"This is all a misunderstanding…"

"Henderson…" Ms. Feng shot him a warning glance. "You don't have to answer his questions. He's fishing..."

Her client held up a hand to interrupt her. "But it's so easy to explain, Alys. See, I had picked up the wrong card by mistake, and I didn't realize it until I got home." Gladpoole smiled unpleasantly. "Arthur had done some work for me around the house, and I guess he left his card there by accident."

Booth raised an eyebrow at the explanation. "Interesting...I didn't mention any names, Dr. Gladpoole. How did you know I was talking about Arthur?"

"Well, I just assumed...you know, he'd done some handyman work for me, and instead of cash, he asked me to pay down his credit card debt, so he gave me his card number, and I guess then he forgot it on the kitchen counter…"

Booth sat back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "What kind of work?"

"Gardening, mostly. My husband, Julius...poor soul…" Gladpoole paused to wipe his eyes with his handkerchief. "He couldn't do yard work because he didn't want to damage his hands...I mean, as a professional violinist, his hands were his work and his life, you know? And I'm very allergic to grass…"

"And yet Mr. Keeling raised African violets, which require constant care.." Volker made a note on his tablet. "Interesting."

"Here's another thing that's interesting, Agent Volker." Booth gave Gladpoole a sidelong glance. "Arthur said that someone called him about shooting that pot of violets out of the ledge with an arrow...someone who knew his aunt." Fidgeting with a paperclip, Booth grimaced slightly. "You know Mrs. Coakley, right? After all, she's your next door neighbor…"

"Only in passing." Dr. Gladpoole's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry...is there a point to this meeting? Because I have other things to do...I need to plan Julius' funeral…"

"Planning a funeral? Yeah, that can be rough. It can cost a lot of money to bury someone…" Booth studied the man sitting across from him. "How are you going to pay for a funeral, Henderson? I mean, that bow that was stolen from your house...I heard that your husband paid a pretty penny for it…enough money to basically leave you broke..."

"What? No, I'm not broke. Julius had a life insurance policy...50,000 dollars…"

"Really?" Volker made another note. "Let's add this up...50,000 dollars in life insurance...50,000 dollars from your homeowners insurance because the bow was stolen...and a 50,000 dollar refund because you mailed to bow back to its orignial owner in Austria. If you add that all together, it equals 150,000 dollars of probable cause."

Ms. Feng interrupted. "You have no proof of any wrongdoing...even if that falling pot did kill Julius, it was an accident."

Booth pretended to smile. "Oh, we have proof of wrongdoing, Ms. Feng. We have proof of credit card fraud, probable insurance fraud, and possibly mail fraud. Agent Volker talked to a Herr Bernhart Fuchs...the man in Austria who sold Mr. Keeling the bow. He's expecting the bow in the mail any day now. He said he'd already mailed a check to Dr. Gladpoole, so hopefully he wasn't cheated out of his property…"

"That's ridiculous." Interrupting Booth, Gladpoole was incensed. "I don't have any check from Fuchs in Austria. The old fool said he wouldn't send me a check until he got that stupid bow back…that I'd have to wait a couple of weeks..." The man's voice trailed off as he realized he'd given himself away. "Oh my God…that's not what I meant...it was a mistake...I never meant to hurt anyone...oh, poor Julius..." Sobbing loudly, he hid his face in his hands.

Tacitly nodding at Volker, Booth pressed his fingertips together and paused for a few seconds as the man across from him wept. "Tell us what happened, Henderson."

Wiping his eyes, Gladpoole began to explain. "It was an accident...an error in judgment, if you will." He groaned softly before continuing. "I've had some recent financial setbacks, which my husband didn't really know about, and then he insisted on buying that ridiculously expensive bow...he said he'd always wanted one, and with them being so rare, he felt like he should take advantage of the opportunity to purchase it. I tried desperately to convince him otherwise, but he wouldn't listen…"

When Gladpoole hesitated, Booth grimly prodded him. "Go on…"

"I usually handled our money, but the house is in his name alone, so he could take out a second mortgage without my approval. Can you imagine? The place was almost paid off, and then we owed more money! I've been unemployed…and I'd used up a lot of our cash reserves..."

He sobbed quietly. "I was desperate...I didn't want Julius to find out we were almost broke, so I cooked up a plan to make it look like someone had stolen the bow. I'd have Arthur shoot that pot off the ledge, thinking it would look like an accident. Julius loved those stupid violets...and while he was outside, looking over the damage and trying to take care of them, I could take the bow and hide it, and my actions would escape his notice, since he'd be worried about his plants. Then later, when he looked for the bow, I'd tell him that maybe it had been stolen, and we could collect the insurance money…"

"But the plan failed because Julius was killed when the pot fell on him.." Booth shook his head in disgust. "That's so sad…and so stupid. Such a waste..."

"Agent Booth…," Ms. Feng began. "While it's true that my client may have committed some crimes, surely you can't hold him accountable for his husband's death. There was no evil intent…no deliberate plan to murder Julius..."

"You know better." Gathering up the papers, Booth exhaled slowly. "He made a plan to circumvent the law, Ms. Feng, and in carrying out that plan, someone was killed. That makes him as responsible as the man who shot the arrow. Dr. Gladpoole is under arrest."

After speaking to the marshals, Booth and Volker left the room. Sensing that Booth was upset, Volker kept his thoughts to himself as they entered the elevator, and they rode up to the fourth floor in silence.

As they left the elevator, Volker turned to go to his desk in the bullpen, but Booth stopped him. "Let's go get a cup of coffee."

"Sure."

They entered the breakroom and Booth poured two cups of coffee. He handed one to Volker and stirred sugar in the other. "It's a goddamn shame, you know?"

"Um...what's a shame?" Volker grimaced as he sipped his coffee. "You mean Dr. Gladpoole?

"Yeah. I mean, if those two guys had just been honest with each other...if they'd talked things over, this whole sad situation could've been avoided. As it is now, we've got a dead man and 2 guys going to jail." Booth tasted his coffee and stirred in another packet of sugar. "Let me tell you something, Derek...you have to know a lot to do this job right, but you can learn a lot, too, okay? See, when you're dealing with someone you love, you've got to be honest with them. Lying to them, or trying to hide things from them so they don't worry...that just leads to more problems, and then those problems stack up on each other. Remember that, okay? Be sure to always tell Gina the truth...unless she asks you what you got her for Valentine's Day…"

Both men chuckled as they drank their coffee. They chatted for a few minutes before Volker threw away his cup. "I'm gonna go finish up the paperwork on the case so I can leave on time. I've got a big weekend planned…" He grinned at his mentor. "What about you and your wife? You gonna celebrate?"

Wearing a broad grin, Booth gave Volker a thumbs up. "Oh yeah...we're definitely gonna celebrate. I'll talk to you Monday, okay?"

"Right." Volker chuckled to himself as he walked back to his desk, hoping he was going to be as lucky as Booth was planning to be.

Booth smiled happily as he walked into his office and opened the top drawer of his desk. Pulling out the box, he chuckled, hoping she'd appreciate his little joke. He slipped the box into his pocket and grabbed his coat, phone, and keys. It was time to go home so he could celebrate Valentine's Day weekend with his family.

Oooooooooo

The family had enjoyed a lazy Valentine's Day watching the kids' favorite movies before ordering pizza for dinner and then having strawberry ice cream sundaes for dessert. After playing a few rousing games of _Ready Set Fun,_ it was time for Hank and Christine to take their baths so they could be tucked into bed.

Booth was wiping down the kitchen counter when Brennan joined him. "Are they asleep?'

"They will be shortly." She gently ran her hand down his broad back. "I enjoyed our family Valentine's Day tremendously. It was nice to have some family time."

"Yeah, I did, too. I'm glad we decided not to go out this evening." He smirked at his wife as he folded the dish rag. "It seems like Tom Foolery was the big winner tonight…"

She smiled as she embraced him. "He may yet win again, Booth. Shall we adjourn to the sofa?"

"Of course." He poured a glass of wine for her and a scotch for himself before sitting down next to her. "So...I know you've been curious…" He put a small box in her hand. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Oh...thank you, Booth." She smiled sweetly as she opened it. "It's lovely…"

The box held a gold chain attached to either end of what appeared to be a set of intersecting lines which formed abstract triangular shapes.

Her brow furrowed as she lifted it from it's box. "An interesting design…"

Booth laughed softly. "It took me awhile, too. It's mountains, see? The way the lines cross each other it looks like a mountain range."

"Oh, yes! I see that now…" She held it up to her throat. "I really like it…it's quite unique..."

"But you're wondering why I picked it out?" He shrugged as he reached over to fasten the clasp. "Well, you said you'd reached a sexual peak, right? And we've been celebrating that a lot here lately, so I thought this would be a nice way to remember it…" Seeing her confusion, he paused. "Dumb idea, huh?"

"No, of course not." Smiling, she ran her fingers across the pendant. "I love the sentiment...and it's a very attractive piece of jewelry, too." Her smile faded a bit as she continued. "However, I'm afraid that the gift I've purchased for you is going to seem very strange in comparison…"

"Really? What is it?" He nudged her with his elbow. "When do I get to open it, huh?"

She took his hand and pulled up from the couch. "It's in our bedroom…"

"Okay." He followed her to their room and looked around. "I don't see anything…"

"Sit down and close your eyes." When he complied, she put a small package in his hands. "No peeking, Booth."

"Aw, c'mon…"

"No. I'm going to step into the bathroom for a few minutes. While I'm in there, you need to put your gift on."

"What? I don't get it…"

"Please? Just follow the directions…please? For me?"

"Oh, okay...but hurry up, okay?"

"Okay."

Hearing the bathroom door close, he opened his eyes and reached into the small red gift bag and was shocked when he pulled out its contents. "What the hell? Bones? What is this?"

She opened the door part way and peered around it. "It's your gift. Put it on…"

He eyed the tiny garment suspiciously. "Um...I'm not sure it's gonna fit…"

"Go ahead. Call me when you're ready…'

"Um...okay." He quickly undressed and then tried to pull on the tiny garment. "Jesus...this just barely covers the equipment…" Tugging at it as he tried to adjust it, he called out to his wife. "What the hell did you get me?"

She stepped out from behind the bathroom door. "Lingerie. I suppose you didn't realize they made lingerie for men, but they do, so I got us matching thongs…"

Booth hadn't heard a word she'd said. He was too busy getting an eyeful of his wife wearing her thong, her new necklace, and nothing else. "What?"

"See? Matching prints. I hope you don't mind that I got the leopard pattern...I was going for a jungle theme…" She did a model twirl. "Do you like it? I thought perhaps they would be fun to wear if we ever wanted to do some role play. I know how much you enjoyed watching Tarzan as a boy…"

"Yeah...um, I suppose so." His heart was pounding as he walked over to embrace her. "But it seems I'm probably not going to want to wear it too long…it's kind of uncomfortable…"

"Let me see…" She looked him over carefully. "It looks very good on you, but yes...I can see why you're uncomfortable…"

"You have that effect on me all the time, Bones, but I gotta say...I love the way that little thong thingy looks on you, too...wow! You are so hot!" Pulling her closer, he growled softly before nibbling her ear. "Who says the lion is the king of the jungle? I think tonight the leopard's gonna be king. C'mere."

She squealed, laughing in surprise as he picked her up and tossed her gently onto the bed. Plopping down next to her, he ran his fingers across her necklace and then down between her breasts.. "You know what? I hope your sexual peak lasts about forty more years…"

"Oh, I'm sure it won't last that long…" She caressed his cheek. "Maybe, if we're lucky, it might be as long as five or six years...but no matter how long it lasts, I'll always find you to be a very attractive man, Booth, and I'll always want you to make love to me…"

"Yeah, but still...if we only have five or six more years, we'd better get busy. I don't want to waste another minute." He kissed her tenderly. "I love my gift, and I love you, Bones. Happy Valentine's Day."

"I love you, too. Booth." She giggled as he pretended to roar like a jungle cat. "Happy Valentine's Day."

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**_Thanks for reading. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura._**


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